Criminal Justice

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5169: Concerning testimony of children.

SB 5169 expands the rules for how children's testimony is handled in legal proceedings. It allows statements made by children under the age of 18 (previously under 10 for some offenses) to be admissible in court for a wider range of crimes, including sexual contact, physical abuse, trafficking, and violent offenses, even if the act was against another child or a known person. The bill also broadens the circumstances under which a child under 18 can testify via one-way closed-circuit television in criminal cases. This includes situations where the child would be traumatized by the presence of the jury, in addition to trauma caused by the defendant's presence.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands admissibility of child testimony in abuse cases, protecting victims' rights and improving court procedures - directly aligns with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5071: Updating the endangerment with a controlled substance statute.

Senate Bill 5071 updates Washington's law regarding endangerment with a controlled substance. It expands the types of substances covered to include fentanyl or synthetic opioids, in addition to methamphetamine, when a person knowingly or recklessly exposes a child or dependent adult to them. The bill also changes the required mental state for the crime from "knowingly or intentionally" to "knowingly or recklessly." It specifically exempts legitimate medical administration of these substances and protects Department of Children, Youth, and Families personnel acting within their role from criminal liability under this statute. The crime remains classified as a Class B felony.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands endangerment statute to cover fentanyl/synthetic opioids and lowers mental state to reckless for child protection, strengthening legal safeguards against dangerous substances.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5109: Concerning the mortgage lending fraud prosecution account.

Senate Bill 5109 increases the fee collected when a deed of trust, a common real estate document, is recorded. The bill raises this fee from one dollar to five dollars, directly affecting those who record such documents. Funds collected, minus a small portion for county administration, are deposited into the mortgage lending fraud prosecution account. These funds are specifically designated to support criminal prosecution of fraudulent activities within the mortgage lending process. Additionally, the bill removes the previous expiration date, making both the fee and the prosecution account permanent.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill designates funds to criminal prosecution of mortgage fraud, directly funding enforcement within criminal justice system.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2417: Changing the Washington code of military justice so that it includes certain protections for victims of an offense while serving within the organized militia of Washington.

HB 2417 updates Washington's military justice code to extend specific victim protections to members of the state National Guard (organized militia) who experience crimes while serving in their state capacity. It directly affects National Guard members who are victims of offenses under the state military code. The bill establishes concrete rights including protection from the accused, timely notice of court proceedings, the right to be heard at key hearings, privacy safeguards, and access to restitution. These provisions align state military justice standards with federal protections to ensure consistent victim treatment during both federal and state service.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends victim protections (privacy, notice, hearing rights) to National Guard members under military justice, advancing victim rights within criminal justice framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 1604: Providing parameters for conducting searches of transgender and intersex individuals confined in a local jail in compliance with federal law.

HB 1604 requires Washington state local jails to create policies for searching transgender and intersex individuals confined there, ensuring compliance with federal law. It prohibits searches solely to determine genital status, mandates staff training for respectful searches, and gives individuals options for who conducts searches (e.g., a medical professional, staff of their preferred gender, or staff matching their gender identity). Jails must implement these policies by September 1, 2025, and cross-gender searches are only allowed in true emergencies threatening facility security. The bill directly affects transgender and intersex people in local jails and modifies existing search procedures under state law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires respectful search policies for transgender/intersex jail inmates, protecting civil rights in corrections - directly aligns with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 5490: Providing parameters for conducting searches of transgender and intersex individuals confined in a local jail in compliance with federal law.

Senate Bill 5490 establishes specific guidelines for local jails in Washington State regarding the search of transgender and intersex individuals. It requires jail administrators to develop policies and procedures that comply with federal law and prohibits searches conducted solely for determining an individual's genital status. The bill mandates training for security staff on conducting respectful and least intrusive searches of these individuals. For strip searches, it offers options such as searches by a medical professional, female staff, or staff chosen by the individual, or in accordance with their stated gender identity. It also ensures privacy during daily activities and limits cross-gender searches to only exigent circumstances.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProhibits searches solely for genital status in jails, mandates respectful procedures per federal law, and protects civil rights for transgender/intersex individuals in corrections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 5758: Supporting social equity in the cannabis industry by establishing distance requirements for certain licensees.

Senate Bill 5758 (SB 5758) aims to support social equity within Washington's cannabis industry. It proposes to achieve this by establishing specific distance requirements for certain licensed cannabis businesses. The bill amends RCW 69.50.331, which broadly outlines the licensing process, including application evaluation, license suspension, and qualifications for producers, processors, and retailers. While the provided text details general licensing procedures, it does not specify the new distance requirements themselves.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes social equity in cannabis, a key criminal justice reform element addressing historical disparities from drug enforcement policies.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 5282: Reestablishing the advisory board for the missing and exploited children task force.

Senate Bill 5282 reestablishes an advisory board to guide the Washington State Patrol's task force on missing and exploited children. This board will advise on the objectives, management, and coordination of the task force's activities. It will comprise nine members, including representatives from law enforcement, legal professionals, a tribal member, a treatment provider, and an individual with direct lived experience of child abduction or exploitation. The board is required to meet annually and submit yearly reports to the legislature detailing the task force's operations, outcomes, and recommendations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReestablishes advisory board to guide law enforcement task force on missing children, supporting coordinated victim-focused law enforcement within criminal justice framework.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5103: Expediting review of sentences when there exists a pending deportation proceeding.

SB 5103 amends state law concerning the clemency and pardons board, primarily affecting individuals seeking sentence review or pardons. The bill requires the board to consider expedited review for petitions when there is an urgent need, such as a pending deportation order or proceeding. It also clarifies that an applicant's immigration status does not affect their eligibility for a pardon, commutation, or restoration of civil rights. This aims to streamline the review process for specific urgent cases before the board.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expedites sentence reviews for deportation cases and removes immigration status barriers to pardons, protecting civil rights and advancing criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationClarifies immigration status doesn't bar pardon eligibility, aiding those facing deportation by removing a barrier to state-level relief.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5278: Concerning emergency measures for managing juvenile populations at state juvenile correctional institutions.

SB 5278 addresses overcrowding in state juvenile correctional institutions, aiming to ensure the safe management of juvenile populations and protect both youth and employees. The bill amends existing state laws related to the management of individuals placed in juvenile rehabilitation institutions. Specifically, it updates definitions for key terms within juvenile justice, such as "assessment," "community-based rehabilitation," "community supervision," and "confinement." While the bill's title references "emergency measures," the provided text primarily focuses on these foundational definitions and legislative intent.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeUpdates definitions to prioritize community-based rehabilitation/supervision, addresses juvenile overcrowding for safety, aligns with reform goals to reduce incarceration reliance and enhance rehabilitation programs.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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